This movement, in binary form, has two very distinct parts played without a break, which do not comment on the action but participate directly in it. In 27a Bach dispenses with the continuo, symbolising the very foundation falling out of the Christian world. The pleading syllabic interjections of the disciples contrast with the plaintive duet of soprano and alto, accompanied only by upper strings and woodwind. In the east, women were traditionally hired to lament when an occasion called for it. This duet puts us in mind of this. The ties across the barlines and between the strong beats, strong ink strokes in Bach’s manuscript, represent the bonds which are now holding Christ captive. In 27b Bach releases the very fire of hell and the devastating and destructive forces of nature which will swallow up Judas. 27b is quite remarkable: never before had such fury and anger been heard in western sacred music, and not until the later works of Beethoven would such dramatic violence be heard again. It shows influence from the chœurs infernaux of the French Tragédie Lyrique, contemporary to Bach’s time. The highly imitative music is full of furious repeated notes, quick-moving scales and arpeggios.

27a

Sop. & Countertenor

Chorus

Sop. & Countertenor
 

Chorus
 

Sop. & Countertenor

So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen.

Laßt ihn, haltet, bindet nicht!

Mond und Licht ist vor Schmerzen untergangen, weil mein Jesus ist gefangen.

Laßt ihn, haltet, bindet nicht!
Laßt ihn, haltet, bindet nicht!

Sie führen ihn, er ist gebunden.

My Jesus now is captured.

Leave him, stop, do not bind!

Moon and light have sunk through pain because my Jesus is captured.

Leave him, stop, do not bind!
Leave him, stop, do not bind!

They lead him away, he is bound.

27b

Chorus

Sind Blitze, sind Donner in Wolken verschwunden, Blitze, Donner. Eröffne den feurigen Abgrund, o Hölle, zertrümmre, verschlinge, zerschelle, mit plötzlicher Wut den falschen Verräter, das mördrische Blut!

Lightning and thunder have disappeared in clouds. May he open the fiery abyss, O hell, destroy, ruin, and swallow up with sudden anger the false betrayer, the murderous blood!

The Evangelist continues in the agitated way heard in no 26, his tone contrasting directly with the calmness of Christ’s. There is a musical description of the cutting off of the servant’s ear in the zig-zag saw-shaped phrase.  The final arched-shaped phrase of the Evangelist, going up to a high A and back down, beautifully describes the fleeing of the disciples, the musical shape of the phrase providing the symbolic arch through which they flee.

zig-zag saw shaped phrase

28

Evangelist
 
 
 

Jesus
 
 
 
 
 

Evangelist

Jesus
 
 
 
 
 

Evangelist

Und siehe, einer aus denen, die mit Jesu waren, reckete die Hand aus, und schlug des Hohenpriesters Knecht und hieb ihm ein Ohr ab. Da sprach Jesus zu ihm:
 

“Stecke dein Schwert an seinen Ort; denn wer das Schwert nimmt, der soll durchs Schwert umkommen. Oder meinest du, daß ich nicht könnte meinen Vater bitten, daß er mir zuschickte mehr denn zwölf Legion Engel? Wie würde aber die Schrift erfüllet? Es muß also gehen.”

Zu der Stund sprach Jesus zu den Scharen:

“Ihr seid ausgegangen als zu einem Mörder, mit Schwerten und mit Stangen, mich zu fahen; bin ich doch täglich bei euch gesessen und habe gelehret im Tempel, und ihr habt mich nicht gegriffen. Aber das ist alles geschehen, daß erfüllet würden die Schriften der Propheten.”

Da verließen ihn alle Jünger und flohen.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him:

“Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes:

“Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple and you laid no hold on me. But all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
 

Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.

 

Commentary by Peter Parfitt © Aberdeen Bach Choir 2012

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